Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Chapter 4 – Chapter 6
CHAP. IV. Of the form of a viſible church, and of church-covenant.
SAINTS by calling muſt have a viſible political union among themſelves, or elſe they are not yet a particular church, as thoſe ſimilitudes hold forth, which the ſcripture makes uſe of to ſhew the nature of particular churches, as a body, a building, houſe, hands, eyes, feet, and other members muſt be united, or elſe (remaining ſeparate) are not a body. Stones, timber, though ſquared, hewn and poliſhed, are not a houſe, until they are compacted and united; ſo ſaints or believers in judgment of charity, are not a church, unleſs orderly knit together. 1 Cor. 12.27. 1 Tim. 3.15. Eph. 2.22. 1 Cor. 12.15, 16, 17. Rev. 1.
2. Particular churches cannot be diſtinguiſhed one from another, but by their forms: Epheſus is not Smyrna, nor Pergamus Thyatira, but each one a diſtinct ſociety of itſelf, having officers of their own, which had not the charge of others; virtues of their own, for which others are not praiſed; corruptions of their own, for which others are not blamed.
3. This form is a viſible covenant, agreement or conſent, whereby they give up themſelves unto the Lord, to the obſerving of the ordinances of Chriſt together in the ſame ſociety, which is uſually called the church covenant: For we ſee not otherwiſe how members can have church power one over another mutually. The comparing of each particular church to a city, and unto a ſpouſe, ſeemeth to conclude not only a form, but that form is by way of covenant. The covenant, as it was that which made the family of Abraham, and children of Iſrael to be a church and people unto God, ſo it is that which now makes the ſeveral ſocieties of Gentile believers to be churches in theſe days. Exod. 19.5, 8. Deut. 29.12, 13. Zech. 11.14. and 9.11. Eph. 2.19. 2 Cor. 11.2. Gen. 17.7. Deut. 29.12, 13. Eph. 2.12, 18.
4. This voluntary agreement, conſent or covenant, (for all theſe are taken here for the ſame) altho' the more expreſs and plain it is, the more fully it puts us in mind of our mutual duty, and ſtirreth us up to it, and leaveth leſs room for the queſtioning of the truth of the church eſtate of a company of profeſſors, and the truth of member-ſhip of particular perſons; yet we conceive the ſubſtance of it is kept, where there is a real agreement and conſent of a company of faithful perſons to meet conſtantly together in one congregation, for the public worſhip of God, and their mutual edification; which real agreement and conſent they do expreſs by their conſtant practice in coming together for the publick worſhip of God, and by their religious ſubjection to the ordinances of God there; the rather if we conſider how ſcripture-covenants have been entred into, not only expreſsly by word of mouth, but by ſacrifice, by hand-writing and ſeal, and alſo ſometimes by ſilent conſent, without any writing or expreſſion of words at all. Exod. 19.5. and 20.8 and 24.3.17. Joſh. 24.18 to 24. Pſal. 50.5. Neh. 9.3, 8 and 10. 1. Gen. 17. Deut. 29.
5. This form being by mutual covenant, it followeth, it is not ſaith in the heart, nor the profeſſion of that faith, nor co-habitation, nor baptiſm. 1. Not ſaith in the heart, becauſe that is inviſible. 2. Not a bare profeſſion, becauſe that declareth them no more to be members of one church than another. 3. Not co-habitation; atheiſts or infidels may dwell together with believers. 4. Not baptiſm, becauſe it pre-ſuppoſeth a church eſtate, as circumciſion in the old teſtament, which gave no being to the church, the church being before it, and in the wilderneſs without it. Seals pre-ſuppoſe a covenant already in being. One perſon is a compleat ſubject of baptiſm, but one perſon is uncapable of being a church.
6. All believers ought, as God giveth them opportunity thereunto, to endeavour to join themſelves unto a particular church, and that in reſpect of the honor of Jeſus Chriſt, in his example and inſtitution, by the profeſſed acknowledgement of, and ſubjection unto the order and ordinances of the goſpel; as alſo in reſpect of their good of communion, founded upon their viſible union, and contained in the promiſes of Chriſt's ſpecial preſence in the church; whence they have fellowſhip with him, and in him one with another; alſo, for the keeping of them in the way of God's commandments, and recovering of them in caſe of wandering (which all Chriſt's ſheep are ſubject to in this life) being unable to return of themſelves; together with the benefit of their mutual edification, and of their poſterity, that they may not be cut off from the privileges of the covenant. Otherwiſe if a believer offends, he remains diſtitute of the remedy provided in that behalf. And ſhould all believers neglect this duty of joining to all particular congregations, it might follow thereupon, that Chriſt ſhould have no viſible political churches upon earth. Acts 2.24. and 9.26. Mat. 3.13, 14, 15. and 28, 29, 30. Pſal. 123.2.3. and 87.7. Mat. 18.20. 1 John 1.3. Pſal. 119.176. 1 Pet. 2.25. Eph. 4.16. Joh. 22.24, 25. Mat. 18.15, 16, 17.
CHAP. V. Of the firſt ſubject of church power, or, to whom church power doth firſt belong.
THE firſt ſubject of church power, is eitheir ſupreme or ſubordinate and miniſterial: The ſupreme (by way of gift from the father) is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: The miniſterial is either extraordinary as the apoſtles, prophets and evangeliſts; or ordinary, as every particular congregational church. Mat. 18.18. Rev. 3.7. Iſa. 9.6. John 20.21.23. 1 Cor. 14.32. Tit. 1.5. 1 Cor. 5.12.
2. Ordinary church-power, is either the power of office, that is, ſuch as is proper to the elderſhip, or power of privilege, ſuch as belongs to the brotherhood. The latter is in the brethren formally, and immediately from Chriſt, that is, ſo as it may be acted or exerciſed immediately by themſelves; the former is not in them formally or immediately, and therefore cannot be acted or exerciſed immediately by them, but is ſaid to be in them, in that they deſign the perſons unto office, who only are to act, or to exerciſe this power. Rom. 12.4.8. Acts 1.2, 3, and 6, 3, 4, and 14.23. 1 Cor. 10.29, 30.
CHAP. VI. Of the officers of the church, and eſpecially of paſtors and teachers.
A Church being a company of people combined together by covenant, for the worſhip of God, it appeareth thereby, there may be the eſſence and being of a church without any officers, ſeeing there is both the form and matter of a church; which is implied when it is ſaid, The apoſtles ordained elders in every church, Acts 14.23.
2. Nevertheleſs, though officers be not abſolutely neceſſary to the ſimple being of churches, when they be called, yet ordinarily to their calling, they are, and to their wellbeing; and therefore the Lord Jeſus, out of his tender compaſſion, hath appointed and ordained officers, which he would not have done, if they had not been uſeful and needful for the church; yea, being aſcended into heaven, he received gifts for men, and gave gifts to men, whereof officers for the church are juſtly accounted no ſmall parts, they being to continue to the end of the world, and for the perfecting of all the ſaints. Rom. 10.17. Jer. 3.15. 1 Cor. 12.28. Eph. 4.11. Pſal. 68.18. Eph. 4.8, 11, and 4.12, 13.
3. Theſe officers were either extraordinary or ordinary: Extraordinary, as apoſtles, prophets, evangeliſts; ordinary, as elders and deacons. The apoſtles, prophets and evangeliſts as they were called extraordinarily by Chriſt, ſo their office ended with themſelves. Whence it is that Paul directing Timothy how to carry along church adminiſtrations, giveth no direction about the choice or courſe of apoſtles, prophets or evangliſts, but only of elders … …s; and when Paul was to take his laſt leave of the church of Epheſus, he committed the care of feeding the church to no other but unto the elders of that church. The like charge doth Peter commit to the elders. 1. Cor. 12.28. Eph. 4.11. Acts 8.6, 16, 19. and 11.28. Rom. 11.13. 1 Cor. 4.9. 1 Tim. 3.1, 2, 8 to 13. Tit. 1.8. Acts 20.17, 28. 1 Pet. 5.1, 2, 3.
4. Of elders (who are alſo in ſcripture called biſhops) ſome attend chiefly to the miniſtry of the word, as the paſtors and teachers; others attend eſpecially unto rule, who are therefore called ruling elders. 1 Tim. 2.3. Phil. 1.1. Acts 20.17, 28. 1 Tim. 5.17.
5. The office of paſtor and teacher, appears to be diſtinct. The paſtors ſpecial work is, to attend to exhortation, and therein to adminiſter a word of wiſdom: The tercher is to attend to doctrine, and therein to adminiſter a word of knowledge: And either of them to adminiſter the ſeals of that covenant, unto the diſpenſation whereof they are alike called; as alſo to execute the cenſures, being but a kind of application of the word: The preaching of which, together with the application thereof, they are alike charged withal. Eph. 4.11. Rom. 12.7.8. 1 Cor. 12.8. 2 Tim. 4.1, 2. Tit. 1.9.
6. And foraſmuch as both paſtors and teachers are given by Chriſt for the perfecting of the ſaints, and edifying of his body; which ſaints and body of Chriſt is his church … And therefore we account paſtors and teachers to be both of them church officers, and not the paſtor for the church, and the teacher only for the ſchools; Tho' this we gladly acknowledge, that ſchools are both lawful, profitable and neceſſary for the training up of ſuch in good literature or learning, as may afterwards be called forth unto office of paſtor or teacher in the church. Eph. 4.11, 12. and 1.22, 23. 1 Sam. 10.12, 19.20. 2 Kings 2.3, 15.